Dodge Charger Generations

Dodge Charger History

2006 marked the year of the first ever Dodge Charger sedan; but it wasn’t the first ever Dodge vehicle to use the Charger name. The iconic Charger nameplate originated in 1966 as one Dodge’s answers to the Pony car craze, and of course to challenge the Ford Mustang. The Charger was a much larger coupe however, so Dodge decided to build the Challenger as well.

The original Charger lasted four generations until production seized in 1978. The nameplate resurfaced in 1984 with a completely different design. Sadly, it lacked character and lost its muscle car heritage. The two-door coupe lasted only five years before being shelved again.

Dodge decided to revive the Charger name a third time with the introduction of a four-door sedan in 2006. Charger purists cried foul dubbing the family mover sacrilegious. Aside from the name the sixth generation model had no ties to the original Charger. It did, however, have performance packages that made it a more sportier sedan than most in its segment. After four years on the market a redesigned seventh generation Charger debuted in 2011. Dodge brought back the one-piece tail light along with stamped hood and side panels, all of which are reminiscent of the 1970s Charger models.

The comeback continues as the modern-day Charger received a facelift for 2015. Having reworked the entire exterior Dodge improved on important characteristics while keeping the sedan’s dimensions the same. Tweaked front and rear components appear leaner and more athletic. Gone are the large headlights and hug grille that made the sedan look cumbersome. The single-piece tail light is also narrower to give it a clean look. The Charger is improving with every redesign; hopefully, the next one will include a fastback to drive it down memory lane.

About The Author

I love looking at cars, and how car design has evolved and where it's heading. So, I created this site to fill a void, both online and in my heart, that compares generations of the auto brands/models throughout the years.